The Lore of ZooKazoo -- Day 13

We are about to begin Day 13 and learn more about Daywalker. But I wanted to mention that several of you are asking whether there is a way to completely write your own stories and publish them on ZooKazoo. 

I want to encourage anyone who wishes to send their own original story to ZooKazoo to do so by emailing it to Story@zookazoo.com. We'll happily read submissions, make comments, and find a way to publish them for the other players in ZooKazoo. I'm excited that creating stories seems like a fun thing to do. That's why I can't wait to bring you Day 13, I'm having fun, too. 

Remember on Day 12, our gang was a bit mystified by Growler's announcement. So let's begin Day 13 . . .

"Daywalker?" asked Growler, "how about a demonstration or two to convince our friends that you are very much alive and very much in our midst?"

Growler suddenly vanished into thin air! His friends gasped, but they were drowned out by Growler's belly laughs. First his paws reappeared. Then slowly, as if a curtain were being raised, his legs, then torso, and then all of him came back in sight. For a moment, the tip of his tail seemed to float in space, but then it too looked firmly connected to the rest of Growler.

Seeds kept it to himself, but just before Growler had disappeared, he'd caught a surprising sight. From his vantage point low to the ground, he'd caught just the briefest glimpse of what must have been Daywalker's feet and lower legs, or rather, the tightly fitting laced boots that he or she wore. Seeds uttered a guess: "Daywalker is wearing a large cape. It makes her invisible, and for a second, she must have held it over you, too, Growler."

With a laugh, Growler just said, "Good guess, Seeds. That same cape will hide you and all of us from our enemies."

The company sat around in good humor, sharing stories, eating more breadfruit, and just as Growler had promised, with Daywalker among them, they all felt safer and calmer than they had since this whole thing had begun. Daywalker, of course, was nowhere to be seen and silent as a stone. As the sun slipped below the horizon and night came on, the original four began to feel sleepy, very sleepy. Huddled together, warm, safe, yawning — they all fell into a deep and restful sleep. Growler had forgotten to mention that Daywalker could also carry you off to la-la land in a blink of a tired eye.

Now in the darkness, Daywalker had changed form. Her magic cape had turned to wondrous, snow-white, long-feathered wings with which she covered her new friends and kept them hidden from prying eyes. The graceful curves of her wings joined together over powerful shoulders. Her straight and strong back rose to a short neck on which sat her tightly feathered and noble head. Her eyes were huge, like an owls. But the soft buff and white feathers that surrounded her face and small upturned nose, plump lips, angular cheeks, and somewhat pointy chin melded together into a face that was, well, simply beautiful. 

It was sad that no one was left who could see her this way. She walked the world in the day on two feet and wrapped in her great cape, invisible. At night she transformed into her magnificent self and soared the heavens, calling her strange, melancholy song. No one could see or hear her in this form either. Kazoobians who knew the very old Jungaloo myths told their children of a mysterious and mostly invisible force for good who walked the world during the day and flew the skies at night. But little Kazoobians knew that if they watched carefully on nights with a full moon, they might catch just a glimpse her silhouette if she happened to fly across the moon's brightly lit face.

Alone or not, Daywalker, was content. A very low and gentle cooo bubbled from her throat. Her friends were safe, protected beneath her wings. To any spies afoot, all they would see if they stumbled into this meadow was a field of lush grass. No one would have guessed that four individuals who were incredibly important to the future of Jungaloo slept here, beginning to dream -- beginning to dream Daywalker's dream.

The Lore of ZooKazoo -- Day 12

Soulja Girl. Please read today's chapter and let me know if I got "Daywalker" about right. I added somethings to your character and there will be more on Day 13. Daywalker is really going to add a lot to the story. Thanks again! And now, the coming of Daywalker -- Day 12 . . . 

"Did we enjoy the breadfruit? Sure it was the best I ever ate." They all said just about the same thing at the same time.

Growler's mischievous smile only got wider. "Well, then, we should say thanks to whomever brought it."

They looked from one to the other and Seeds spoke up first: "None of us brought it, did you?"

"No. But don't worry about it. Gee, have another piece." The woven-leaf tray, again loaded with fruit, appeared to float up from the ground and passed among Seeds, Pricilla, and the Princess. This time, they focused on the strange sight and each took a giant step back from the basket as it hung in the air. "Uh, no thank you," they said again in chorus.

Pricilla was first to catch on. "Growler, you said a new member of our party had just arrived," as she looked all around the meadow. "Does that levitating basket have something to do with the new member of our group?"

"Judging by where the basket is hanging in the air, I'd say or latest arrival is standing about three feet in front of you." Growler was enjoying the looks on his friends' faces -- confusion, surprise, disbelief. They'd look first at the basket then at him and then back at the basket. "Too much fun," he thought.

"Friends, I would like you to meet and welcome Daywalker. Daywalker will take some getting use to, but believe me, in the end you will be very happy Daywalker joined us. In fact, it was Daywalker who brought us all together. I'm not even sure if Daywalker is a he or a she. You can't talk directly to him -- or her. You can't see him or her, unless in a dream. And if you do see Daywalker in a dream, he or she will appear differently to everyone, never the same, always a person or animal that is special to the person who is dreaming.

The group began to relax and were now simply curious. Could they believe Growler? This was his most preposterous story yet. "In my dreams," Growler continued, "Daywalker joins me as the most beautiful lady tiger I have ever seen." He began to purr, then stopped, looking a bit embarrassed. Was Growler blushing?

"Daywalker is beyond language. She will always hear and understand us, but you will only hear her or him in your dreams. But she has promised to always stay with us, watching, guarding, feeding us when we're hungry, healing us if we are injured, and adding to our strength at the most important times."

"Daywalker was old when I was just a cub. Where she comes from, or exactly what or who she is, I've never known. I just know that when she is with me, I feel calm, and safe, and never alone. I can see that you are all still troubled and not quite believing me."

----There is more to come about Daywalker on Day 13!

The Lore of ZooKazoo -- Day 11

I've wanted to add one more main character to our brave little Jungaloo band of four. But I've had a hard time figuring out who or what that character should be. Yesterday, Soulja Girl wrote to me with a really great idea for a new character. I'm so excited about the idea, that today's story will begin to set the stage for the new member of the team. As Growler fills us in on "What's up?" watch for something that doesn't quite make sense. It just might be the first clue about the nature of their new partner. You'll meet that new character on Day 12.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. In today's chapter, our characters look into the eyes of Growler. Have you ever visited a zoo and gotten close to one of the big cats and had a chance to stare directly into its eyes? If you have, you'll understand a bit more about today's chapter. Here's day 11 . . . 

"Well Growler?" a very demanding and impatient Pricilla asked again.

Growler didn't look bothered in the least. He'd been leaning back, and now, slowly sat up to look directly at Seeds, Pricilla, and the Princess. Each of them had turned to face him and as Growler gathered his thoughts, they each sat as if expecting a long tale. Growler flicked out a long curved claw on his right front paw and tapped it on one of his rather large and scary fangs. The sound it made was much like a note from a musical chime. Growler made the gesture often when he was deep in thought.

While the rest waited, each was struck by Growler's eyes. They were huge. Their shiny black centers were made to look even darker by the yellow irises that surrounded them. But there was something about looking straight into the center of his eyes, a feeling that you were looking down into a well with no bottom. That depth was a clue to the life Growler had led. It must have been very long and filled with experiences beyond each of their wildest dreams.

As if a curtain had been pulled across those windows into Growler's soul, the opportunity for insight was suddenly gone. Growler was ready to begin and said, "Why don't you each help yourself to a couple of these lovely bread fruits?" None of them turned their gaze from Growler, but each took a piece of the wondrous fruit as it was passed among them on a tray made from a very large and shiny green jungle leaf.

"I have to tell you all that I am much older than I appear," Growler began. "The princess knows that I can look almost any age when I wish to change. I have been wandering the trails and roads of Jungaloo from the time when our beautiful trees first began to grow -- a time when Jungaloo extended much further than it does today. We can climb trees or trek to the top of hills to know that Jungaloo stretches as far as we can see in any direction. But our view is actually blocked by the thick mist to the south and by the the mountains that border the east, north, and west.

"Until recently, you could climb to the top of those mountains or walk for days into the mists and still see oceans of green and lush jungle extending out before you -- seemingly never ending. But that's not true today. Particularly from the mountains in the east, you can see a terrible cancer at work on our forests. There is an area that stretches off to the very horizon in the east that is entirely blackened. Dead trees. Dead plants. No birds or butterflies. No animals of any kind. No sounds!"

"Like a wave of death, that area is spreading to the north and coming our direction too. Year by year, we are losing more and more of our beloved Jungaloo to this plague. This past year and for the first time, like the flicking tongue of a monstrous snake, the first signs of the cancer can be seen creeping out around the feet of the eastern mountains. The eastern rivers that once flowed blue and clear are beginning to turn murky and carry a foul smell. It is definitely coming our way."

"Pricilla, this is 'what's up,' this is why we have been brought together. You have each been chosen. I was not only waiting for the Princess that first day, but for you Pricilla, and for you, Seeds. My mission to lead you in this quest came to me in a dream that turned to nightmare. This is our destiny and our time is now. There can be no thought of any of you returning to the palace and just going on with your lives. There is not a moment to lose."

Growler took a long, deep breath, exhaled, and said, "We were waiting for one more member of our band to join us. But he or she -- it's difficult to know -- has arrived."

Then with one of his most devilishly smiles, Growler chuckled and said, "Did you enjoy the bread fruit?"

The Lore of ZooKazoo -- Day 10

How about those creepy Dragoon Flies? We want to thank one of you for that great idea -- an entire flying army of Dragoon Flies based on dragonflies. Ugly little devils. You'll hear and see more of them before this tale is over. And now, Day 10 . . .

When Seeds suggested that everyone leave the battle scene fast, no one argued. The new foursome -- Princess Kazooba, Growler, Pricilla, and Seeds -- took off down the jungle path as fast as they could go. So fast, that Seeds' short legs would never keep up. Pricilla lifted him and put him back in her pack at a dead run. "Oh, no," thought Seeds. "Here we go again." He was determined not to get sick again as he was bounced around in the bottom of Pricilla's pack. He climbed up and got a good grip on the top edge of the pack, then pulled himself up until he could see out. "Better," he thought, "I just need to be able to see out and get big breaths of fresh air."

They made good time down the trail. Growler seemed tireless as he loped along. Princess Kazooba was keeping up after two hours, but was beginning to breathe hard. Pricilla had, miles ago, taken to the trees and was swinging along above the rest. She, too, was very well trained and conditioned and could have done this for days without stopping. Seeds was, of course, breathing easily, but his hands were firmly clenched over his eyes. The view from his perch at the top of the pack was, well, he said it best, "Gulp!"

Princess Kazooba gritted her teeth as she jogged: "I'm not going to be the first to call for a halt," she insisted to herself. She doubled her effort and made sure she kept right up with Growler.

Growler could hear the sound of Kazooba's feet as she caught up with him. He knew they had been moving very fast for two hours. He guessed Kazooba had to be wearing down, but he also bet that her pride would keep her from calling for a rest. He was proud of her determination, but the last thing he needed was a worn-out or injured member of the group. He wisely held up his hand and said firmly, "Halt. Let's take a breather here. Just a short one."

He had stopped at a place with a thick carpet of soft grass. The opening in the jungle allowed a cool, fresh breeze to blow across them. Pricilla reached back over her shoulder and neatly grabbed Seeds and set him down carefully. He wobbled a bit, as he walked back and forth trying to regain his balance. Pricilla remained standing, watching and listening. Princess Kazooba stretched her arms above her head, bent backwards, and then gracefully swung forward to touch her toes. She sat on the soft grass and again reached for her toes, stretching her leg muscles to prevent cramping. She knew they'd be moving on further before stopping for the day.

Growler sat, totally relaxed. The warm sun glinted off his shiny coat. A puff of breeze fluffed the fur around his neck. He sat back with his weight on his arms, looking from member to member of this strange little band. "A Kazoobian Princess, a walking, talking apple core, and a royal member of the famed Monkey Troop -- a woman warrior monkey at that."

"Kazooba, Princess of the Realm, was still stretching. He was impressed with her feistiness. She certainly had a lot to learn, but she had a good and strong heart. That was a good place from which to start turning into an adult."

"Seeds was by far the smallest, but he had proven his grit and surprising abilities. He had saved them all from the Dragoon Flies. Seeds knew about those dangerous creatures. Clearly he had had experience with them before. Growler thought he probably had even more to learn from the little guy."

"Pricilla was amazing, too. He knew that she would never allow anything to happen to the Princess -- not on her watch -- even at the price of her own life. Pricilla had even faced off with him, he thought, with the stance of a true warrior. He was glad the Princess had stopped the silly fight that was about to begin because he and Pricilla would have probably injured each other in the struggle. Neither, he knew, would have allowed the other to win. Pricilla would be a good person to have by his side if they got into more trouble, and he knew they would. There were things ahead that would be dangerous. There was simply no way to escape their fate."

His thoughts continued to swirl. "He had a lot to learn about each of his new friends, but they had a lot to learn about him too. He smiled outwardly, knowing he had more tricks than stripes."

Pricilla was the first to speak. They'd all been quiet with their own thoughts while they rested. "So, Princess, what is going on here? I need to get you back to the palace. Your parents are worried sick, and I have the distinct impression that you are going to argue with me about returning home."

The Princess looked at Growler, then dropped her eyes to her hands as she fidgeted with them nervously. She did not know exactly what to say. As Pricilla waited, all there was to hear was the gentle sound of the afternoon breeze and the equally soft bwok, bwok, bwok of the suction pads on the ends of the Princess's fingers. Finally, "I did something very stupid, very immature," Kazooba began. "I thought I could teach my dad a lesson, that I was growing up and could do things on my own, things that are important. He keeps treating me like I'm just a kid. I thought I'd leave the palace in the dead of night, have an adventure, and then return with everything ok. I didn't think about how he or my mom would worry. I should have known he'd send his best troops and spies out to find me and now, I've put you two in danger too."

"But maybe I was meant to leave the palace on that very night," she continued, "because at the very next sunrise, in the very first rays of dawn, I was in the right place at the right time to see this bottle with the map inside tumble down the Great Waterfall and make its way right to my fingers. I just don't think that was by chance. And then, this tiger, Growler, showed up disguised as a tiger cub -- you wouldn't believe how tiny and cute he can appear. And he knew my name! How did he know that I would be there, picking up that bottle that very morning? Maybe we should all ask him what is going on."

"Very clever," mused Growler. "The young Princess had neatly turned all the attention right on him." He almost winced as Pricilla turned her stern gaze at him.

"Well, Growler? If that is your name. The Princess raises a very interesting question. Tell me what is going on and don't leave anything out!"

If Seeds had ears, they would have been standing straight up. He did not want to miss a word of this!

The Lore of ZooKazoo -- Day 9

Hi guys. Here's one way the story could go. It was contributed by Kagoma, one of you who is becoming an awesome writer. Remember that Day 8 ended with a serious standoff between Growler the tiger and Pricilla, one of the King's best royal soldiers. Kagoma sent in this idea: "The first one to strike was the tiger. When the tiger swung, the ape flew at him with all her weight. In doing so, she pulled the tiger down and got a bad cut -- but not serious." 

A fight to the finish? Let's see what happens. Welcome to Day 9 . . . 

Princess Kazooba stepped between her new friend, Growler, and Pricilla, who she knew was here risking her life to protect her princess. Kazooba really did not want a fight to break out, but Growler and Pricilla were circling and deadly serious. "Guys! Stop!" she said, "Things don't have to be this way."

Seeds lay in the bottom of Pricilla's pack, trying to overcome his queasy stomach. He could tell from the sound of things, that his friend, Pricilla, was about to get into a serious fight with someone named Growler. But he also heard something else that no one was paying attention to. Almost beyond hearing, Seeds was aware of a high-pitched buzzing that was getting closer every second. "I can't just lay here," he thought. "This is really bad."

Seeds leaped from Pricilla's pack, screaming in a surprisingly loud voice for an apple core, "Everybody down! Now! Down! Do it!"

Trained to react to commands, Pricilla was the first to follow the order. A split second later, Kazooba followed Pricilla and lay flat on the ground. Growler was still standing, trying to get over his surprise: "An old apple core that talks? Gives commands? What the. . . ?"

The buzzing was no longer difficult to hear and no longer far off. Suddenly, the sound was hideously loud and all around them. Growler took one swing at the cloud that circled his head and then dropped, like a bag of books. He took cover where he could. The surprises just kept coming.

While everyone else hugged the ground and wished they could get lower, Seeds was standing in their midst, totally focused on the swirling cloud. Without a moment to spare, he began to spin faster and faster--faster than the eye could really follow. He began to spit little brown seeds from deep in his core--thousands of them. From a funny-looking apple core with suspenders, Seeds had become a deadly weapon, at least to the swarm that attacked him and his friends. His torrent of seeds put up an impenetrable wall of fire. The maddening members of the swarm began to fall like crumbs from a smashed cookie. They collapsed in the air and bounced once or twice as they hit the ground. In seconds, the luckier members of the swarm flew off. The unlucky ones were on their backs with their barbed legs stuck up in the air.

Pricilla and Growler were the first to recover and jump up. This time they were back to back, Growler with his claws extended and Pricilla holding a menacing sword at the ready. Their argument was forgotten. All each thought about was protecting the princess.

The danger had passed. Seeds had saved the group from a very unpleasant end. Kazooba rose last and slapped her leggings, brushing dust and leaves from them. They all looked at one another with a sense of wonder that no one was hurt. Princess Kazooba was the first to speak, "What was that?"

"The minions of Silvercurst, the Dark Elf," shuttered Seeds. "Take a closer look and remember what you see the next time you hear that sound."

The ground was littered with bodies about four inches long. Each had six, jointed and barbed legs and a long tail. Four wings on each casualty lay still. Dragoon Flies. Each had a horrible face with huge eyes and gapping mouths filled with needle sharp teeth. They each wore a dull black helmet and carried a quiver of darts.

"Be careful of the darts," said Seeds, "They are tipped with poison for which there is no cure. Watch where you step. We should leave this place as fast as we can."

Far away, the green-scaled face of Silvercurst stared into his magic waters. His fists were trembling with fury. "Next time. Next time," he said, "You won't escape so easily."

The Lore of ZooKazoo -- Day 8

Wow, some of you are beginning to submit very good and very long passages for the story. In fact, they are so long that I'm not getting all of your writing. The comment box only allows you to write about 6 lines. Anything more just gets lost. So if you have a long passage for me, break it up into separate comments that are no longer than 6 lines. Don't forget to sign your masterpieces with your Zelf's name! Thanks and now, back to the jungle . . . 

Day 8

Growler's paws and face were stained purple with Tikiberry juice. He rolled his eyes up to the sky, distended his stomach out as far as he could, opened his enormous jaws, and let loose with a truly stupendous belch: "Buuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrppppppppp. Ahhhhhhhhh. Those berries were definitely delicious."

"Gross, you are so gross, Growler. Remember, you are in the presence of royalty," Princess Kazooba said with a bit of a devious smirk. Then like the steady building of rolling thunder, she let loose with her own, "Brp, brpbrp, brpbrpbrp, brrrrrrrrrroooooooooooppppppppppp, brrrrrrrmmmmmmpppppp!" that rose in pitch as she drew it to full effect.

Growler stood staring, amazed at the sound coming from this small Kazoobian girl, and then he just broke up, laughing and laughing. "This partnership is getting better and better. This girl is no dainty prude. We're going to do great things together," he thought as he studied her with renewed interest from head to toe.

Dropping her comedic pose, Kazooba turned serious once again. "Growler, let's take a look at the map. I've been thinking about it and I  hate to say it, but we have to use the old rugged bridge that we were warned about. You can see on the map that we are going to have to cross the Evan River that pours into the lake, here. The old rugged bridge is a shortcut. If we don't cross it, we have to follow the river miles and miles south before there is another place to cross. And then, we have to come all the way back north again. That's days of hiking."

Growler pondered her point, when his ears picked up a distant noise that was rapidly getting closer. His nose twitched as he sampled the air. In an instant he leaped at Kazooba, knocking her down and rolling with her beneath some thick green shrubs. Kazooba started to complain, "Growler! What's gotten into you?"

"Shhhhhhhhhh! Be quite. Someone or some - ones are coming and they are moving fast."

Kazooba got the point, but she made a mental note to tell Growler that they could have hidden without him leaping at her and scaring her to death. Then she heard the on-rushing noise, high in the trees. First, she could just make out snapping branches and shaking treetops. But as the commotion grew nearer, she could see a very large ape moving at incredible speed through the jungle canopy. Instantly, she recognized the Royal Monkey Troop vest and insignia. 

Her parents did care and they had sent out the Troop to find her. It would be so easy to jump out and signal the soldier and end up back in her comfortable palace room. But what about her Destiny? What about the important thing that Growler had said she had to do? With Growler, she squirmed back further into the deep shadows of the overhanging shrubs.

The pack-wearing monkey flew right over them, not seeing the Princess or her companion below. And then, Seeds . . . . Seeds really blew!

Trying hard to hold it in, hands pressed firmly against his mouth, Seeds' stomach finally had had enough of the swaying, bouncing, upsetting form of travel. Seeds' stomach made one gigantic reverse push up Seeds' throat and he spewed a ghastly, smelly, green slime in a long gooey arch. "Bombs away!" he gagged, glad he'd been able to vomit away from Pricilla instead of all over her neck and back. But then another unexpected thing happened.

Below and in the rapidly receding distance, a great tiger rolled from under some shrubs and stood up roaring, "You disgusting, tree-swinging, fur-ball! You puked all over me! Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Come back here and apologize or you're going to end up a pile of monkey meat!

Pricilla heard the offensive call. No one shouts at a King's guard like that. One muscular hand gripped the next branch and she arched her back and swung her weight up. Her momentum lifted her up and around in a perfect flip, hurling her back towards the still roaring tiger. Seeds was pushed down into the pack by the force of the turn and just groaned, "Oh, my stomach."

Pricilla was back over the tiger in seconds and dropped down in a crouch before him. Dust flew up from her landing. Monkey soldier and magnificent tiger glared at one another, their postures daring the other to make the next move.

The Lore of ZooKazoo -- Day 7

LOL. You guys! About 30 of you tried to take credit for the paragraph about the berries. All I can do is say thanks to the actual anonymous author and ask you to please keep sending me such great ideas. Today's chapter contains yet another anonymous paragraph, so thanks to that person too!

OK, let's catch up. Princess Kazooba had an argument with her dad, King Mo. She left home to show everyone that she was really grown-up and could do great things on her own. She found a bottle with a map inside and some scary warnings about things she should and should not do.

She ran into a tiny tiger kitten, but when she reached down to pet it, there was a flash. The kitten bacame a huge tiger who startled her when he said, "Kazooba, I've been waiting for you for a long time. My name is Growler, and you have an important destiny to fulfill." Wow! Who was Growler and how had he known Kazooba's name?

Meanwhile, a really wicked elf, Silvercrest, watched their progress in a magic pool of water. He wondered if Kazooba was the young woman he was warned to watch out for. He began to plan ways to keep her from finding him. Silvercrest is a pretty scary guy with red eyes, green scales, and very pointy ears.

Princess Kazooba's mom and dad, the Queen and King, were worried sick. Where was their daughter? King Mo felt guilty because he knew that an argument with his daughter was probably the reason she left the tree palace and entered the jungle. King Mo called for his best spies (a Corps of Apple Cores) and his best soldiers (the Monkey Troop) to spread out through the kingdom and find and bring his daughter home.

And now, Day 7. . . 

Twenty-four hours had passed since King Mo sent out his Corps and Troop. They were his very best, but none had found hide, nor hair, nor single word about his daughter. As he slumped in his throne, his frown just deepened, and his fear for Kazooba's safety increased. The Queen sat across from him, reading his dark mood. She knew that no news was not good news. She'd put her index finger to the side of her head and was now trying to remove it without anyone noticing. "These suction cups," she thought, "can be so embarrassing."

Seeds, a rather lucky member of the Apple Corps, had taken up a position in a corner of Zookajuice, a favorite meeting and eating establishment in Jungaloo. No one noticed him as he watched everyone chatter, straining to hear any mention of the Princess. No one cared about an old apple core. He had not had time to eat and his stomach rumbled a protest, but he was determined to complete his ever-so-hard mission. "Where would the Princess be and why had she disappeared?" he thought.

Just then, one of the royal monkeys from the famed Monkey Troop dragged herself into Zookajuice and collapsed over a table near Seeds. She looked around and spotted Seeds and winked. Seeds rolled over to her and said, "Any luck?"

Precilla looked back at him and said, "Do I look like I had any luck?" She was soaked with sweat, dirty, even scratched up from sharp branches that had scraped her as she'd raced for miles through jungle trees. Waving to a waitress to get her attention, she ordered a bug-burger, yam fries, and a tall, cool greatfruit drink. Greatfruit, as everyone knows, is sooooo sour that it could stand your hair on end. That's what she needed to wake herself up and get fully alert again.

"Seeds, I'm not getting anywhere. No one else is either. I covered miles and miles today, crisscrossing the jungle south of the lake. The only thing I saw that showed any signs of life was a huge Tikiberry tree that had been stripped of all of its fruit by a bunch of squirrels or birds or something."

"Tikiberry tree?" asked Seeds as he sat up with growing interest. "The princess loves Tikiberries."

Pricella reached down to lift Seeds off the floor and said, "It's time to team up. I'll give you a ride you won't forget." Over her shoulder, she carefully placed Seeds in her pack. She stuffed a hand full of fries in her vest pocket, took one enormous bite of bug-burger, and gulped the greatfruit drink. Her eyes popped open and her hair frizzed like a storm was coming.

"Wow, I needed that!" Dropping a fist full of kazoobits on the table, she was out of the door and headed back to the jungle in great loping strides. She reached the edge of the jungle and without slowing one bit, flung herself up into the largest near tree, then another and another, gaining speed and height as she went.

Seeds sucked in a deep gulp of air and wondered if there were a barf-bag anywhere. "I can do this, I can do this," he repeated as he turned a pale shade of green apple.