landed on Gus’ neck followed by two brave robins. The toucan screeched, “They can get us out! They’re world explorers! They know the shortcuts to get far away, fast!” The robins twittered and Tekita translated, “ ‘We must get to the hills,’ they said, ‘and the fastest way... uhhhh we think... is just west from here- you’ll see.... maybe...’ Sounds pretty convincing to me.” The toucan’s tone was sarcastic at the last sentence. Then Annabelle yelled over the thunder, rushing water, and cracking of lightning, “They’re our only chance, Tekita.” Two of the bear cops sat behind Annabelle while the third held to Gus’ tail but the old horse didn’t mind in his sense taking, blinding fear. An unknown wolf was sweeping in the current and Annabelle held out her paw to him. He took her paw in his and looked up at her. Annabelle said loudly over the dying water noise, “Grab the horse’s tail! There’s no room here.” The wolf quickly grabbed the tail and let go of Annabelle’s paw and they finally clambered to land, a few deer stags and two does managing to follow onto the land. The unknown wolf wagged his tail. “Thanks. My name’s Tempo, and I’m a former Habitat Planner of the wilderness. Except if humans decide to destroy, that’s when I can’t do anything.” He gently licked her ear, smiled, and hopped on Gus’ back. Gus neighed, “Get the creature off me, Annabelle. I’m serious and I’m trying to rest.” Annabelle laughed and said, “Tempo, please. Get off Gus, he doesn’t like it.” The wolf jumped with a splash into the shallower, calming down water. Gus gave a loud snort in disapproval as water splashed his side. Tempo smiled at Annabelle as they moved closer inland, and Gus led the way, Annabelle sitting gently on Gus’ haunches. Tempo jumped on in front of Annabelle and they rode silently, the surviving deer staying near. Annabelle remembered their quest, and she scratched Gus with her claws gently. Gus sprinted forward and went at a steady gallop into the moonlight.

On the way Tekita bid the robin farewell after they memorized the path they were to take. Bert flew steadily behind them as the caravan continued north. Tempo sat calmly on the old gray horse’s withers, and Annabelle had to keep scooting forward on the horse’s haunches to stay on. Tekita sat just atop the horse’s forelock being careful with her talons. Unlikely partners they were, striding forward every day with meat eaters as well as herbivores. Tekita snatched insects that she said were completely foreign to her habitat, and a very rare delicacy. This sickened Annabelle.

One day they had to cross a large fallen tree that connected two cliffs. A rushing river lay in between. Annabelle guided Gus forward with her voice. “Keep going, Gus! Be careful, though, and don’t look down!”

Unfortunately, Tempo looked down! He fell off Gus’ back and his claws snagged the log. Annabelle held out her paw, but Tempo fell into the rushing river below! Annabelle scooted forward on Gus’ back and rushed him forward, and then they went down a slope that met the rushing river. Annabelle jumped in and swam for Tempo, who had managed to bite down on a root. Annabelle grabbed his back legs and pulled him off the root, that was soon breaking, and she got onto land, softly letting him go on the sandy grass. Tempo touched noses with Annabelle gratefully. “I wouldn’t live to see this day without you.” He sighed.

Chapter 3: The Lion Cub

They continued their trek northward, stopping for a rest alongside a waterhole where the savannah began. Annabelle and Tempo caught fish for dinner, and the horse cops ate the same thing except for the third cop who was a colt, who grazed uninterestedly on the disgusting grass. Annabelle was fully filled for the first time in her journey. And Tempo was becoming very playful. Gus grazed, Tempo raced in circles as the sun set. Finally, they rested peacefully in the presence of the water hole, and the presence of the songbirds sleeping above. Annabelle was lying on the ground, Tempo lying with his head over Annabelle’s back. Gus was snorting in his sleep. They slept the night away just like that. The night was filled with their whines, snorts, and groans they did in sleep.

Annabelle was first to wake. She nudged Tempo lazily, and then poked him again. Tempo rolled over. “What do... you want...?” he mumbled tiredly. Annabelle said, “We are in the eye of the storm, and for now it’s stopped. While we have time we should go on. We have to increase the pace a bit today.”

Tempo nodded solemnly, and he stood to his feet. He was so tired he wobbled on his legs.

Suddenly, a soft growl was heard from somewhere, and then you could here a meow. A small cub came from the trees. Gus snorted, and backed up quickly. He neighed for the colt cop, Brok, to come to him. The colt, which was Gus’ son, rushed instantly to him. The cub meowed, tilted his fuzzy head that contained soft eyes, and twitched his black-tipped tail.

Annabelle tilted her head back, and the little thing rolled over, meowing pleadingly. Tempo said, “Gus, Brok... he’s harmless. He’s just asking if he can stay with us.”

Gus laughed sarcastically. “Yeah. Stay with us and eat us? No way, Jose.”

Tempo growled angrily at Gus. Gus jumped, spooked. “Ok, ok, ok. Gotcha. As long as he leaves when he grows, I’m fine with that.”

The cub said, “I can stay with you, right? Mama got all still and cold when the hunters came toward us.” Annabelle remembered the two memories she hated most, her and Milliona sitting before their parents and Milliona lying still as the last deer jumped past. Annabelle said sweetly, “Ok, little one. We’ll take care of you- with all our heart in it! So what is your name?”

The cat shook his head. “I don’t have one.”

Tempo nodded. “You look like a... Rudy.” The cat nodded in agreement. “I like that name. Where were you going to go? I overheard you are traveling for a good cause from my friends, but where?”

Annabelle smiled. “Somewhere so special, somewhere where all animals will be saved. I am going to save millions of animals, with your help, little Rudy.” Annabelle rubbed Rudy’s belly and he giggled.

Smiling, Rudy leaped up onto Gus’ back. “So,  what are we waiting for? Giddy-up!” Rudy flipped the reins, way too hard. Gus, infuriated, lowered his head to buck, with a loud neigh. He pasted an angry, determined look on his face.

“Rudy, watch ou...”

Too late. The young cub was sent soaring in the air, and he thumped hard against a tree. Whining, but not giving up, Rudy stood to his feet “What... what... just happened?” But just then, a frightening noise came.

“Creaak.” Moaned the tree, as it slowly began to tilt. Gus neighed, to start the ruckus among the animals. Tekita and Bert returned from a mailing trip to land on a branch nearby the falling tree. They shot down to the thickest braches, took a hold of them, and struggled to pull the tree up. That gave Annabelle just enough time to push Rudy out of the way, still managing to get out of the way herself. Rudy sat, a bit stunned, in front of the fallen tree. With an empty look, he looked up at Annabelle and the others, then shook his head. “Whoah! Let’s do THAT again, huh, guys?”

“NO!” Shouted the other five.

“Oh. Well come on, we gotta go, don’t...?”

His question was interrupted and as well answered as a lightning bolt crashed nearby, and the rain started up again. Brok neighed, and tossed his head. Annabelle growled, and looked around. Seeing the discarded carriage nearby, she gave a small smirk. “Gus, Brok, people, hold on!” She reached for the harness, and tried to tug it over. Sighing, she called over to Tempo. “Temp! Over here!” Tempo hurried over to her, and snatched the harness and put it on. “Annabelle, it’s better if you tug it like this, not with your teeth.” He glanced down at his paws, seeing water creeping up, as high as claws. “And hurry!”

When Annabelle was hooked up to the carriage, they nodded to each other and hurried as fast as they could toward their group. By now, Rudy had to perch high on Gus’ back, but this time, Gus didn’t mind. Annabelle smiled softly. “We did it!” she cried, leaping into the carriage, helping attach Gus to the carriage. She helped Rudy onto the carriage too, as Gus nudged his son into the carriage harness.

“Yeah. We did it.” Tempo said softly, looking into Annabelle’s eyes, as the sun faintly began to shimmer behind the clouds of gray.

Chapter 4: Human Civilization

Annabelle slumped over the seat, still awake. She had been awake all that night, simply thinking. She was thinking of her family, North America, Tempo, life, happiness, friends, Tempo, dreams, Tempo... and other subjects. Annabelle glanced over at Tempo. She had known Tempo long enough to understand he may be dreaming of human cities and cute huskies. Annabelle wondered why any wolf would be like that. Wolves like her were creatures of the wilderness, and they loved to be free. Annabelle smiled gently under a loving look. She nudged him softly, and gave him a lick. Tempo simply shifted, and smiled in his sleep. Annabelle lowered her head, hearing the thunder roll quietly. The water was still rising, but Annabelle didn’t worry. She closed her eyes and sighed, then fell asleep.

Later, Annabelle woke. The carriage was stopped. Tempo was still at