Part Four: Lost In The Cave and The Poachers

Part Four Lost in the cave and the poachers.

Time in a cave moves at a different pace. Without any sun to guide you it’s very difficult to know when exactly it is. The temperature is the same and it’s very very dark. The darkness is what made them extra sleepy, and held them while sleeping in it’s arms.

    Morning came with a panic because while they were sleeping Fionna had gotten up and was nowhere to be found. Neither was her flash light.

Lost in the cave.

    “Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! What are we going to do? I’m so scared for her. I mean she’s just a little girl anything could happen.” exclaimed a panicked Cody.

    “Calm down Cody. Everything’s going to be fine.” Mama (Macy) tried to calm him but he was off and running.

    “What are you talking about? She’s just a little girl, and there are poachers around, we’re in a dark damp cave, there’s probably bats, and did I mention she’s just a little girl?” Cody asked sarcastically.

    “Yes, I think you have mentioned that a few times now. Sit down and try and relax, and by the way I am not requesting this.” She forcefully pointed to the rock that had been his seat last night and he sat. “Lets look at this logically. She is the one who found the footprints last night, the sand we are walking in is very soft so we will be able to follow her footprints, and there is no weather in here to make the prints disappear. You see. We will find her. Now, if you will be so kind as to calm down and help to break camp we will be on our way.” She reached down to where he was sitting and gave him a hug. He got up and didn’t say another word, but started to break camp. He felt safe having Macy around and a little silly for his outburst, but in the small amount of time that he had known Fiona he had gotten quite fond of her.

    With the two of them working it didn’t take long to get things all packed and strapped on their backs. They started looking right away and did find her tracks leading away from camp and into the tunnel just as Macy had predicted. They followed her footprints into the tunnel and continued down it for a long while till they saw a light and heard strangers voices, but they couldn’t make out what they’re saying till they get closer. Macy and Cody got closer to the light and found that the tunnel has ended abruptly and in the small room are three cages with Fiona, and her parents in them and one man pacing back and forth talking to himself.

    “He should have been back by now. Where is he?” the strange man just kept repeating this same thing over and over again. He had a rifle leaning up against the wall which frightened Macy and Cody. Fiona’s parents seemed to be in pretty good spirits. They just kept petting their daughter through the cages. It was Fiona who spoke up because she noticed her friends signaling to her from the door to the room they were in.

    “Why not go looking for your friend if you think he’s lost in here. We’re not going anywhere.” she said a bit sarcastically.

    “Yes, that’s a good idea.”, and he grabbed his flashlight and out he went. Macy and Cody just had time to hide in the shadows as he went by. They rushed in not wanting to waste a minute, because who knows how long he’s going to be gone. They let the family out of their cages and went to the door to see if he was coming back.

    “Come on gang we have to move quickly before he comes back.” exclaimed Mama Macy. Quick as a wink she was out the door Fiona and her family were next and Cody took up the rear. The whole group worked very quickly together and went as fast as they could. Before you knew it they could hear the waterfall getting louder and then they were in the room directly behind it. The water pounding down and the whole gang climbed back out into the daylight. They had made it out of the cave squinting in the brightness and now had to go to town, but first they chanced a small break. “We made it!” Macy continued. “I’m so very glad to have found you and your parents Fiona. We were so worried when we woke up and you weren’t there.”
    “I’m sorry Macy but I woke up and heard my mother and father talking to that man. I couldn’t stop myself. I had to see them and that’s when he caught me.”

    “It’s so so good to see you darling,” said Fiona’s mother who picked her off the ground squeezing her in a hug so big Fiona could hardly breath.

    “Yes, this day has made me supremely happy.” said her Father who in turn picked up Fiona’s mother and her and gave them both a big squeeze. Cody sat with Macy and tried not to cry in happiness, but Macy was to busy watching the bushes moving.

    “Hey there’s something over there,” she whispered to Cody “in the bushes there see.” Before he could move to investigate out came four police officers, and quick as a wink they had the little group surrounded. Macy and Cody told them all about what had happened and where they could find the poachers. They went into the cave and captured them with ease bringing them to justice and cages of their own.

A few days later.

    Fiona, Cody, and Macy are all outside the Bed and Breakfast. It’s Macy last day she flies home early tomorrow morning and everyone wanted to have a big celebration to say goodbye to her and welcome Fiona and her parents to town. It was early evening and the sun wasn’t so blazing hot. People were all sitting around after their supper feeling full and chatty. Fiona’s mother got a job right away as a school teacher and her father started working as a maintenance man at the same Bed and Breakfast that Macy was staying at.

Macy and Cody were saying good bye early because he was leaving tonight to go back to Montana.

    “It’s been really great getting to know you Cody and I’m sure glad that you’re going home to visit your family. Family is important. When’s your flight?” asked Macy.

    “In just a couple of hours so I really have to skidaddle, but I wanted to invite you to Montana for your next vacation. Here’s my contact info let’s stay in touch.” he said.

    “I’d like that too said Macy.” who took his card and put it in her pocket. With that he picked his bag up and put it in the cab and off he went a cloud of dust trailing behind. She would be doing the same the next morning, and as the day waned down and the stars came out her thoughts returned more and more to home. She was anxious to see her humans again, and see the photos she’d taken. After everyone had said good bye it was just her and her old friend cleaning up. “Ok, now I’ve come to see you that means it’s your turn to visit me in Minnesota. Come in the Autumn. You used to like that season a lot.”

    “Yes, I’ll try and make it later this year perhaps. It has been great to see you again Macy.” The two old friends hugged each other, and Macy went off to bed. The next day came and she was gone on the long flight home wondering what adventures awaited her next.

The End