Tag Along
Mood:  happy
Topic: Kittys adventures

Tag Along

 

Amanda saw Mama turn the corner towards home. Although she had only been gone a few days it seemed like a lifetime. As the wanderers crossed the street, Alex told Amanda he wanted to take a quick detour to see his old neighborhood. He went on to say he wasn’t staying there long and would join Amanda at home.

 

These two had been through a lot. Amanda knew Alex was just doing that to allow her some alone time with Mama. As Alex headed towards his old stomping grounds, Amanda followed Mama towards home. CeCe, Amanda’s youngest sister, saw her first. She almost ram mom over trying to reach her sister.

 

“Mandy!”

 

“CeCe!”

 

“Amanda, remember me? I’m your mother?”

 

“Hee hee. Hi Mama, CeCe reached me first.”

 

“So what brings you home? And where is your travel buddy?”

 

“Alex will be here pretty soon. He wanted to see what his old neighborhood looks like.”

 

“Hey guys, look who decided to show his mug around here.”

 

“Well, well, if it isn’t Alex, the famous traveler. Your girlfriend dump you so you think you can just waltz back here like nothin’s changed?”

 

“No, I just wanted to see the old neighborhood since I was close.”

 

“Ok, you saw it. It ain’t changed. Now scram!”

 

it was the same neighborhood alright. It was unfriendly before which is why he left. He headed back to Amanda and her family. But he made one stop first. He had one food source he had kept to himself. If it was still there, he could show Mama. If it were still there, it would be a steady supply for the family. It was still there.

 

It wasn’t long before Alex joined the family. At that point all of Amanda’s siblings begged for an update on their travels. Amanda deferred to Alex to catch everyone up on their travels. He did a very good job as all of the other kitties were paying very close attention to every word. Amanda just sat next to him smiling.

 

Alex did manage to find a good food source close by and told Mama about it. Everybody followed Alex. After a good meal, the whole crew headed home. Once there, Mama asked what their plans were. Amanda looked at Alex and together they said there was a lot they had not seen yet. Mama said she hoped they would at least wait until morning. As the sun rose, Alex and Amanda got ready to leave.

 

“Can I come too?”

 

“Let’s ask Mama and Alex first, CeCe.”

 

Mama said it was ok, but only for a little while. She then asked Amanda to watch out for her little sister. Mama knew Amanda and Alex always stopped back at home between adventures. With that assurance, all three kitties headed out to see something new.

Healing Power
Mood:  happy
Topic: Kittys adventures

Healing Powers

 

“Amanda, Alex, good to see you again! Come in and tell us all about your latest adventure.”

 

“Thanks Koko”

 

As Rabbit got refreshments, our wanderers related their latest escapade. Alex held everyone spellbound telling about the trip climbing through the trees following the squirrels. Amanda told about Alex’s heroic rescue of the ball for the little human. Taking turns, both kitties awed their audience telling how the turtles made a dry path through the creek and around the sticky bushes.

 

“Wow! You two are sure having an exciting adventure. I hope someday I can travel like you guys.”

 

“Someday little bunny, someday. But for now, stay here and learn all can from Koko and Rabbit. And, I think it’s time we head out again. I’d like to visit Mama the family, ok, Alex?”

 

“Sure. It will be nice to see the old neighborhood.”

 

Alex carried the dishes and put them where they belonged. Amanda helped Koko clean up. Then they said their goodbyes. Koko’s place was almost becoming a second home. One of the little bunnies was excitedly hopping around asking if he could join them.

 

“Can I, huh, huh, can I?”

 

“No, not this time. We’ll think about it next time, ok?”

 

“(sob)ok(sob)”

 

As they headed back towards home, they noticed they were near Sarah’s backyard.

 

“Alex, something doesn’t feel right here.”

 

“I know Mandy. Let’s go up to the house to see if we can find out.”

 

Sarah and her mom had befriended them before so they weren’t afraid of going up to the house. Sarah’s mom was sitting on the back porch and looked very sad.

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

Amanda meowed, knowing humans don’t understand kitty.

 

“Hi, kitties. I’m afraid Sarah is staying inside. She has been very depressed since her dad got laid off.”

 

“Can I go see her?”

 

Sarah’s mother may not understand kitty language, but she understood that Amanda wanted to go to Sarah, so she held the door open for her.

 

“Alex, you stay here. I want to see if I can cheer her up.”

 

Amanda found Sarah curled up on the couch.

 

“Hi, Sarah.”

 

“Kitty!!! Daddy can’t work anymore and he’s so sad. I don’t know what to do.”

 

“Just be good for your dad. He’ll work it out. Your love will go a long way.”

 

Sarah may not understand what Amanda said but she felt better for having her there. As she was petting Amanda, her dad walked in. Sarah got up, ran over, and gave her dad a big hug.

 

“I love you daddy, everything will work out.”

 

“I know sweetie. My boss called a few minutes ago. I go back tomorrow.”

 

Seeing Sarah smiling, Amanda jumped down and rubbed up against Sarah’s leg. Sarah picked her up and both her dad and her petted her. Then Sarah carried her to the back door.

 

“Thank you kitty. Now go join your little friend. You helped me feel better. Thank you.”

 

Amanda and Alex said goodbye to Sarah and headed towards home.

Up a Creek
Mood:  hug me
Topic: Kittys adventures

Up a Creek

 

“Mandy, we’re up a creek without a paddle.”

 

“What’s a paddle?”

 

“I don’t know. It’s something I heard a human say and it seems to fit since we’re by a creek.”

 

Amanda and Alex were in new territory. But a familiar creek was in front of them. They knew if they followed the creek they would eventually find themselves where they started. But the question was, how far were they from that point? At least they knew which direction to walk.

 

“Alex, it looks like a lot of those sticky bushes up there. I don’t know how we’re going to get around them.”

 

“Let’s see what it’s like when we get there. There may be an easy way around them.”

 

But the closer they got, the less they saw of a way around the prickly bushes. The water wasn’t very deep but just the thought of getting their paws wet raised the hair of these two kittens. As they were sitting by the waters edge, a family of turtles came up to them.

 

“Hello, you two look worried.”

 

“Yes, Alex and I need to get to the other side of these bushes, but we’re afraid of water.”

 

“We love the water. But wait right here. I know what to do.”

 

The turtles headed back the same way they came. Alex and Amanda looked at each other, wondering what was up. It wasn’t long before the creek was full of turtles. Amanda wondered if beavers could build dams that fast. She remembered Koko talking about some beavers she knew.

 

“Alex, is it?”

 

“He’s Alex, I’m Amanda.”

 

“Ok. I brought all the crew as you can see. We’re lined up all the way past the bushes. Just step on our backs til you’re past them.”

 

“Thank You.”

 

With that, our little friends headed down, or is that up, the creek. As soon as they were clear, they thanked their new friends. Then Alex noticed they weren’t very far from Koko’s.

 

“Mandy, let’s stop and visit Koko.”

 

“Ok.”

Soft Magic
Mood:  happy
Topic: uplifting

The following post is dedicated to a very special member of our family. From her I learned many lessons. I also received a special bit of lavender called Jp and he is the epitome of the story.

 Please enjoy, and share with your loved ones. I do.

 ron

Soft Magic

 

“I am stuffed!”

 

“Excuse me, but we’re all stuffed.”

 

“Ok, I’ll give you that.”

 

Now many of you reading this have stuffed animals. But do you know what happens when you’re not around? No, they don’t stay where you left them. It isn’t your family pet that moves these guys. Never underestimate these kritters.

 

“Hey guys, our human left his computer on.”

 

“So?”

 

“Let’s see what we can find.”

 

Stuffed animals have a very special magic. But, anyone who shares their life with these fuzzy creatures already knows how magical they are. It only takes one hug to soften a bad day. Scientists the world over are very frustrated. That a stuffed animal is magic is well understood. But no scientist has been able to explain it. Many cuddly creatures end up in labs. But no amount of prodding, no fancy electronic instrument ever discovered the reason. But magical they are.

 

“Eeyore, use your magic on this computer. It’s time for us to have some fun.”

 

“Ok, but what do you have in mind, Jp?”

 

“I heard there are some really neat looking new animals coming out and I thought we’d pop over to that special site of ours to see for ourselves.”

 

“You mean the ones the human can’t see?”

 

“Yep”

 

“Hey you two, aren’t those new animals a little bit risqué for us?”

 

“Yep, that’s why we’re going.”

 

Now there is another little known fact about stuffed animal magic. They have a way of accessing computers, looking around, then leaving them just as they were. No human has ever seen it happen, but a little girl in Guthrie, Ok. Woke up one night and saw her little bear searching the Internet. She just watched for a bit then went back to bed. It didn’t surprise her at all but she told a couple of friends and learned from her teacher that it is a special magic these creatures have.

 

This all sounds very odd to many adults. But, pick up one and cuddle it when things are a bit rough in your life. They have an amazing affect. But, as one of the humans that share a life with these bundles of softness, I know what the secret really is. It is the universal problem solver and the best medicine one can ever be given. Stuffed animals are the givers of love.

 

wide open spaces
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: Kittys adventures

Wide Open Spaces

 

Amanda and Alex stood at the tree line, awed by the wilderness in front of them. For kitties used to being surrounded by buildings this was almost overwhelming. It was also scary.

 

“Alex, I think we should go back to the other side of the woods.”

 

“Ok, but why don’t we walk along the edge. Maybe we can find an easier way. Those trees hurt my claws.”

 

As they made their way through the edge of the trees, they saw a clearing. There was a creek running through it and it looked like the same creek that was close to Sarah’s house. At least it was a place to get a drink and maybe they could follow it back. But on their way there Alex got tangled up in a briar bush.

 

“You did it again.”

 

“I’m good at that”

 

It took some time, but Amanda finally got Alex freed. They headed for the water because all that work made them both thirsty. It also made them hungry and they decided to follow the creek back to the alleys. This time they would go in a different direction. Not bad for two kitties that didn’t have a GPS navigator built in. They did, however, make sure to stay away from the bushes!

 

As they neared the water, they saw a human family having a picnic. They went further upstream so they wouldn’t be seen. Not all humans are as friendly as Sarah. But after getting a good drink they decided to watch the bigger humans play catch with a stuffed animal. One would throw it and the little one would catch it and try to throw it back. The little girl would try to throw it real hard but it ended up just going up and back down. Then mom would get it and help her throw it to her dad. But then she tried to throw it real hard and it landed in the tree.

 

“Oh dear, how are we going to get that down? I can’t climb.”

 

“Let me see if I can throw a rock to knock it out.”

 

The dad tried several times but it wouldn’t move. Mom tried to comfort the little one but it wasn’t working.

 

“Alex, why don’t we climb up and knock it down?”

 

“You stay here, I’ll go up.”

 

Alex clawed his way up to the branch that the stuffed toy was stuck in and pushed it free. The humans smiled and thanked him. They said they had some leftover food if he was hungry. He was, but so was Amanda. He climbed back down and both kitties went over to the humans.

 

“They’re cute.”

 

“I know dear and they did get your stuffy for you but let them eat.”

 

“Yes, they might not want to be picked up.”

 

Both Amanda and Alex looked at the humans and said thank you (in kitty of course). Alex backed away, but Amanda let the little girl pet her. She didn’t want to be picked up, but petting was ok.

 

“Ok dear, we should be heading for home. It’s getting late.”

“Yes, so let the kitty go join it’s friend.”

 

“Let’s clean this up here before we go. This is not our home. It belongs to the forest creatures.”

 

With that, the humans picked up everything and walked towards their house. Alex and Amanda headed up the creek. They had gotten a drink, did a good deed and got food. All in all it was a good day.

Shell Game
Mood:  not sure
Topic: Kittys adventures

Shell Game

 

Amanda and Alex reconciled. Koko invited them to stay for a few days, but Amanda, after talking to Alex said no. It was time to get back to their travels. They did agree to wait until morning. As the rays of first light streaked through the glistening, dew-laden trees, Amanda and Alex said their good-byes.

 

“Which way should we go? I’d like to explore more of these woods.”

 

“I agree Mandy.”

 

These may have been city kitties, but thanks to all the friends made along the way, they were fast becoming countrified. The ground was getting harder to walk on the deeper in they went. Amanda was starting to get worried because she couldn’t get through the underbrush. Every time she took a step forward, she would get tangled in the briars. Alex tried to help, but as soon as she got free of a branch, Alex got caught up in it.

 

“Come up here, it’s easier.”

 

“Who that?”

 

“I really don’t know Alex, I’m as new here as you are.”

 

“I know, I was hoping whoever said that would answer.”

 

“Sorry.”

 

Just then, a squirrel that lived in the nearby trees, came scampering down. Not far behind came another.

 

“Who are you?”

 

“I’m Oakley and she’s Annie.”

 

“Those are funny names.”

 

“Yeah, but mom heard some human call us that when we were little and she liked it so that’s what she named us.”

“I can see how Oakley fits, but Annie?”

 

“The human said something about a historical figure, whatever that means.”

 

We’ll let them chatter back and forth for a bit. Alex was asking about the best way to get through all the weeds and prickly bushes and Annie said she could lead them through the trees. It’s a good thing kitties can climb trees. With a bit of help from their new friends, Amanda and Alex were able to get away from the tangled underbrush. Annie led them to a new part of the woods where it was easier walking on the ground.

 

“Thanks you two. We’ll have to come back to visit sometimes.”

 

“Yes, please do, but bring nuts.”

 

“Oakley! That’s not nice to ask of new friends.”

 

“I was just teasing them.”

 

“It’s ok, we knew he was teasing. But we may bring some back if we find any.”

 

Amanda and Alex bid farewell to their new friends and started off through the woods. Before long they found the edge of the tree line. As they approached it, they noticed that there were a few houses here also. The yards weren’t as fancy as Sarah’s. What they found was the edge of the town. Because it was in the country, the garbage cans were quite full. The town pickup service was only a couple of times a month. This made for easy pickings for our little wanderers.

 

“Mandy, we’ll have to remember this place.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Ok, let’s not interrupt their dinner. We’ll catch up with them later.

Solitude part 2
Mood:  blue
Topic: Kittys adventures

Solitude

Part 2

 

Aesop found Alex but he looked so dejected. He thought it best to have Koko be the first to contact him. Besides, he was afraid of scaring him into running further away. He knew there was a problem but he didn’t know how to fix it. He had friends, but from what Koko and the rest had said, the connection between Amanda and Alex was more than simple friends. No, it was better to let an expert deal with this.

 

“Alex?”

 

“Hi Koko. How did you find me?”

 

“It’s hard to hide from your friends.”

 

“Friends? I thought Amanda was my friend, but she didn’t come with you I see.”

 

“No, I made sure she was distracted. I wanted to talk to you alone.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Amanda is worried to pieces. She read your note, and yes she shared it with me. Before she found it she thought maybe something had happened to you. Then when she found what you wrote, she was very upset. She is thinking she is doing something wrong.”

 

“No, she isn’t. But she is the popular one. No one notices me.”

 

“Ah, there you are wrong my friend. She isn’t the popular one, just the talkative one. You need to learn to speak up.”

 

“But she always answers the questions rainbow sends. She never asks me what I think.”

 

“Ok, I’ll give you that. She probably doesn’t realize you might have different answers. We sent her a question sheet, then we were asked to answer them also. Amanda made sure you were included.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Really. Now, come on. Let’s go back to the cave and we’ll talk with Amanda. She wasn’t ignoring you, but I can see how it might look that way.”

 

Back home, Koko got Amanda and Alex together. She explained Alex’s side and Amanda realized what had happened. She said she would make sure Alex got his side in on the questions, but told Alex he has to speak up when they are with others. He promised to try.

 

Let’s keep following these two and see how the future goes. At least for now they are back together and are ready to start off on more adventures.

Solitude
Mood:  sad
Topic: Kittys adventures

Solitude

Part 1

 

Amanda woke up to a bright, sunny day. Indeed, it was a good day to explore new territory. First things first though; Koko had given them some special treats and that sounded like a great breakfast. She got up and stumbled over the little pile of weeds she had been using as a pillow. Ok, maybe I better wake up more. Amanda blinked a few times then called for Alex to join her for breakfast. No answer. She tried again while she walked over to where he had been sleeping. He wasn’t there. Maybe he just went for an early morning walk. But then she saw the grass where he had been sleeping. There was a note.

 

“Mandy, I’ll catch up with you sometime. Right now I need some alone time. I am feeling very lonely. You’re getting all the attention. I am just another kitty in the shadows. I’m sorry. I thought it was going to be the two of us, but no one even notices me.

 

Alex”

 

A solitary cloud floated overhead. Fitting because it was a little rain cloud. The tears in Amanda’s eyes wouldn’t be seen if it rained. But Amanda didn’t really care right now. Her world had just crashed around her.

 

“You silly boy, you are my world.”

 

There wasn’t anyone to hear her. Confusion replaced joy as she wondered what to do. Traveling without Alex was not acceptable. Going home was also out of the question. She was unable to move, so she just laid down and cried.

 

“Amanda? What’s wrong?”

 

“Hi Rabbit. Alex is gone. See the note he left?”

 

“You two were very close, weren’t you?”

 

“Yes”

 

“Come on, let’s go see Koko. She’ll know what to do. If nothing else you’ll be surrounded by friends.”

 

Rabbit held on to the note as they walked to Koko’s place. Amanda didn’t say much, it hurt to talk. Friends, she thought, but Alex is my best friend, doesn’t he know that? Rabbit tried to talk to her, but she was crying too hard to hear him. It was a silent, sullen pair that entered Koko’s place.

 

“What’s wrong Amanda?”

 

Rabbit handed her the note.

 

“Oh dear. We must find Alex. That poor boy doesn’t understand. Come on, we’ll have some refreshments and I’ll see what I can do.”

 

Koko left Rabbit with Amanda. She went into the other great room and gathered her brood.

 

“Kids, we have to find Alex. He thinks Amanda has abandoned him because everyone pays more attention to her. Those two belong together, but we have to convince Alex of how important his role is. Any ideas of where to start looking?”

 

“We could spend all day looking. Why don’t we contact Aesop. He can see all over?”

 

So, with that, Aesop was on the hunt. It didn’t take long because Alex’s tail gave him away. Aesop flew down and told Koko where he was. She in turn put Rabbit in charge of keeping Amanda busy while she went out to talk to Alex.

 

Next up, Alex’s story

Eagle-eyed and odd
Mood:  mischievious
Topic: Soaring Eagles
The Eagle has not landed

“I see it, but I just don’t believe it. Not only doesn’t that boy like fish, but he uses silverware like humans!”

Aesop was rather an odd bird. They knew there was something a bit strange about the kid when he hatched. Bald eagles are supposed to be, well, bald. But Aesop had pinfeathers that went every which direction. From day one he did things that most birds don’t do. Ok, he did things that NO other birds do. Flying wasn’t a problem, but how many other birds do you know that put a stick in the ground with a feather attached to the top with a piece of spider silk? This is the only known instance of a weather vane built by a bird, for a bird.

“Look at that Ma, do you see any other birds that build a fire to cook?”

“Now Pa, give the kid a break. He claims to be a born again human. He’ll be old enough to live on his own soon enough.”

“Yeah, but how do we explain him to the rest of the family? The reunion is tomorrow.”

“We could stay home, but that would probably look just as bad. Let’s just hope Aesop behaves. Maybe we can get lucky.”

It was a strange reunion indeed. There were only four families involved but each one had their own odd chick. Let’s listen in on the parents.

“You say Aesop uses silverware like humans? That’s nothing. Marcus likes to fly in squares and other strange shapes. He claims there is a special meaning to it. I’ve tried and tried to teach him to just fly around in a circle when hunting but he insists on being different.”

“Ha! At least yours fly. Max walks. I told him he’d starve to death that way. I asked him, how are you ever going to catch anything if you don’t fly and spot them from the air? He proceeded to show me. That crazy kid walked over to a log, pushed it out and as it floated down the river, he had a string he found dragging in the water behind him. It actually worked because afore long, he pulled the string and there was a fish on the other end.”

“You guys have it made. Artemis has really got me concerned. I took him out for his first flight and to show him how to fish. Once we got back home I sat down to rest knowing he would be ok. But after a bit, I couldn’t find him and Pa said he had gone over to that little ledge by the home place. He was gone for the longest time and I was beginning to worry. But then he came home and started gathering up branches and string and some odd pieces of metal. I asked him if he was planning on building his own place already.”

“Well, did he?”

“No, and that is what was so strange. He took all those things and made the darnedest contraption I ever saw. He said it was a better way to catch fish. He asked me to join him over on the ledge. What he had done was make a picture of the thing!”

“Did it work?”

“Yep”

Aesop Makes First Fable

“Ok, now where did the kids go? I swear this is the last egg I lay!”

“I agree. I’ve never had this kind of problem with any of the other chicks.”

“Now, Now ladies, they’re good kids. A little strange, but good.”

Everyone had to agree they weren’t ‘bad’ kids. Just odd. Actually, for birds, they were quite intelligent. As it turned out, Aesop, Max, and Artemis became good friends and realized that by putting their talents together, they would be an awesome team. Artemis had found a small cave, high up on one of the cliffs by the river. The three of them decided that would be a good place to make their own. This was their ‘playground’ so to speak.

“Ma! Oh dagnabit, we’ve been together for a long time and I never did get your name. Anyway, Aesop said he and the other two were going over to that cave one of ‘em found. I told him to get back home afore supper.”

“Pa, my name is brighteyes. I told you that so often you’d think you’d remember. Hitting that bridge that was taller than you though musta adled what little you had between the feathers.”

Meanwhile, back at the cave.

“Max, you made it!! According to the old birds, you don’t fly, just walk.”

“Flying ain’t hard, I just prefer to walk when I’m after something to eat. It’s a neat trick because the fish are watching high up for predators so I can easily catch them with a line.”

“Hey guys, look at this! I came up with a neat idea.”

“Neat drawing, but what is it?”

“It’s a simple code to let the family know where we are.”

Ok, I know, they could just go home and tell the parents where they’re going. But, you know eagles, they tend to be out and about a lot. This way the kids can tell mom and dad where they are without having to worry about some other critter learning their whereabouts. Remember, safety first. Now all they had to do was teach the old birds this code. Let’s check in with the parents to see how the lesson is going.

“Ma, keep this paper under your wing, or someplace safe. It’s the code Artemis worked out to leave messages.”

“Why not just tell us?”

“Uh, like how often are you home? You’re always out flying around looking for food, or trying to make sure there are no bridges for Dad to run into.”

“Good point.”

Back at the cave.

“How did it go Aesop?”

“It was easier than I thought. How about you guys?”

“It was the same for us. Now we can go where we want and do what we want and the old birds won’t have to worry so much.”

They were right. Now the kids can explore or do whatever Eagle kids do, and the folks knew where they would be. It did make life a bit easier, except for the fact that what these kids could and would do, was NOT normal eagle things. The adventures have just started.

Alex disappears
Mood:  not sure
Topic: kritter kapers

Alex Disappears

 

Amanda had awed all of Koko’s charges with all their adventures. Even Rabbit was impressed. As Amanda was finishing up, Cocoa and Cora, the two baby squirrels were nudging closer and closer.

 

“More stories”

 

It took Amanda a moment to understand Cocoa’s squeaks. But finally she realized they wanted to hear more adventure stories. Unfortunately every story Amanda knew had been told.

 

“Ok everyone, it’s snack time. Rabbit, would you do the honors?”

 

“Sure. Cocoa, Cora, could you help me?”

 

Between the three of them, everyone was given a snack of their favorite food. But there was a problem. Where was Alex? In all the commotion, no one noticed that he had slipped out.

 

“Koko, did Alex say where he was going?”

 

“No, I didn’t even notice he was gone. That bothers me since I’m supposed to be able to keep an eye on everyone.”

 

“Well, he isn’t one of your charges, but I can understand what you mean.”

 

“I have an idea of where he went.”

 

“Can I come with?”

 

“If it’s ok with Koko, you can Rabbit.”

 

With Koko’s permission, Rabbit and Amanda went in search of Alex. The logical place of course was where she had first met him. They retraced the route they used. But when they asked some of the other alley cats, no one had seen him. Amanda admitted to Rabbit that she hadn’t noticed any signs that he had gone back that way, but she was really hoping that he had. Rabbit suggested going back to Koko’s a different way. Maybe they could pick up some traces.

 

It was a very scared and nervous Amanda that walked into Koko’s place. Even the other animals they passed on the way back hadn’t seen Alex, or any other kitty for that matter. Koko suggested a search party. Something was not right. She divided her charges up into groups of two and had one of the crows go with each group. If Alex was found, the crows could sound the alert.

 

Since Amanda was new to that part of the forest, it was suggested that she team up with Koko. Although it was early in the day, it was hard to see because of all the foliage. Thanks to Koko’s eyesight and knowledge of her home territory, the trek was relatively easy. They steered clear of as many brambles as they could but they also checked each one as they passed by. Amanda kept her nose in the air, in hopes of picking up Alex’s scent.

 

It only took about an hour before Amanda picked up a familiar scent. She pointed out the direction to Koko and hurried towards their friend.

 

“Alex!!!”

 

“Hi”

 

Koko had JuJu, the crow sound the alert and he also found Rabbit and had him take everyone back to the cave. Koko and Amanda could take it from here.

 

“Why did you leave?”

 

“I was just in the way. You were having so much fun that no one even noticed me. I was with you, but everyone looked at you as the great adventurer. I suddenly just got very lonely and unwanted.”

 

“We came and found you, didn’t we?”

 

“Yes, but only after you had dazzled everyone and told the whole adventure.”

 

At this point, Koko intervened. She could see that Alex was very hurt inside. Amanda had indeed taken center stage and Alex wasn’t even mentioned. She pointed this out to Amanda who did apologize to him. But Koko went one step further.

 

“Amanda, have you stopped to consider Alex’s feelings? From what you told us about your adventures, it was where you wanted to go. Maybe Alex might have wanted to go someplace different sometime. I’ll let you think on that while we head back to my place. I don’t want both of you lost out here.”

 

Once back at Koko’s, Amanda and Alex stayed outside for a little bit talking. Amanda admitted that most of the adventures were her ideas. Alex said he didn’t mind that, but it hurt him that she never even bothered to ask him if he might have wanted to go someplace different.

 

Amanda sidled up next to Alex and said she was sorry. They went in to Koko’s to say goodbye.

 

“Ok you two, go have some more adventures, but next time, tell me about Alex’s travels.”