was still at her side. She looked around. There was no water anymore, just the sun shining happily. No clouds lurked in the sky to worry her. The only thing that did worry her was that the carriage was stopped. She put her paws over the carriage handle, where the riders held on. She gazed down, seeing Gus asleep. Only one thing was bad about that.

 

 

Where was Brok?

 

 

“Brok? Brok?” Annabelle pushed herself back into the carriage. She nudged Tempo awake. “Wake up. Brok’s gone. Help me wake up Gus.” Tempo shook his fur, and leaped off the carriage. The ground was soft, almost muddy. Tempo trotted up to the harness. Sniffing the harness, he examined it closely. “A human’s been here. Look at the cut in the leather. It’s too smooth and even. Brok couldn’t have bit through it. Humans have weapons that cut skin, leather, and even treebark real easy. Though... I wonder where he could...” He lifted his nose to the sky and looked ahead. Annabelle put her paw up on Gus’ side. She looked at Tempo. “What is it?” she asked. She barked in Gus’ ear. “Hey Gus! Wake up! Brok’s gone.”

 

 

Tempo burst forward with his head lifted up high. He yodeled, almost like a hound tracking down his prey. “Come on!” Tempo yelled back to the two. Tekita and Bert squawked and woke up. “What’s going on?” cried Tekita. Bert shook his head. “I dunno. Come on, let’s fly!”

 

 

Annabelle took her claws and cut the leather of Gus’ harness. Moving her claws to examine them for wear or damage, she nodded. “We should travel faster if we don’t have anything in tow. Comin’ Temp.” She raced after them, Gus quickly cantering behind. Each step was quick for being in the sludge.

 

 

Tempo slipped, and Annabelle went back to pull him up by his scruff. Annabelle gave a quick smile, then raced to catch up with the others. Tempo wanted to say thank you, but Annabelle was already running after the others. Tempo started forward, when he heard a voice behind him. “Tempo, what’s all the ruckus? And why isn’t Annabelle home? Did you do something to her?” Tempo then remembered. They had left Rudy back in the carriage. “I did nothing. Brok is lost, you know, that tiny horse? Well, we were searching...”

 

 

“We?” Rudy asked, narrowing his eyes. “Where are the others?”

 

 

Tempo responded by grabbing Rudy by the scruff and saying through his teeth, “They’re up ahead, rascal. We’re going to find them, and Brok.” Rudy gazed forward. “Yahoooooo, wwheeeee! This is fun! Can we do this sometime?”

 

 

Tempo smiled as he splashed across a shallow stream. “Sure kid.” He responded, as Rudy wriggled to shake off the water, nearly slipping out of Tempo’s mouth. Tempo slowly set him down, and stared forward. “They’re probably lost... no, they... oh god, they’re headed for civilization.”

 

 

Rudy shook his head. “Civila-wha?”

 

 

Tempo growled. “No time to explain. Can you run?”

 

 

Rudy shifted his paws. “Uh-huh.”

 

 

“Then come on!”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 5: Disasters Lead To Good

 

 

 

 

Annabelle gazed around her. She saw humans tramping around inside of a gate, holding heavy objects, as a small wall was being built. They seemed to be in a trance, their faces cold, stiff, and emotionless. Gus watched carefully from behind a cluster of trees, with a snort. Soon they both saw Brok, being tugged and choked by a few of the emotionless men, as they were trying to lock him in a pen. Annabelle watched, wincing, imagining the pain Brok must be feeling. Tekita sat perched on her back, and Bert perched on a branch above Gus, Tekita, and Annabelle.

 

 

Annabelle turned to her friends. “Guys, I’ve got a plan. Tekita, distract the humans by flying over the gate and just messing with them. Bert, watch them from above and make sure Brok is ok. Tempo and me are going to sneak in through that hole in the gate. Gus, Rudy, stay here and watch from afar... cover us... Tempo??? Rudy??? Where are you?!”

 

 

But Tempo and Rudy were closer to them then they thought, as the wind began blowing hard, sending snowflakes and fog toward them. Tempo closed his eyes tightly, as the snow threatened to sting his eyes. Rudy cuddled close to Tempo’s front paws, shivering. Through chattering teeth, Tempo said, “We... have to keep... going.. or else we’ll... we’ll never find them...” Rudy turned his head toward Tempo with eyes shut. “o... o... ok...” Slowly they trudged through the snow.

 

 

Suddenly Annabelle stopped. “A storm’s forming... come on guys, we’ve got to hurry.” Suddenly she saw Tempo on a hill far away, though the snow and wind and fog blurred his image, she could tell it was him anyway. Then she recognized Rudy beside him. Tempo lifted his head to howl. “Tempo!” cried Annabelle. “Come over here!” she howled back, then she unhooked the gate to get into the civilization. Tekita flapped her wings and dug her claws into the men’s arms and hair, squawking all the while. Annabelle, seeing no unlockable lock, ran straight into the corral fence to free Brok. Tempo raced in, seeing Annabelle a bit wounded from the impact, pulled her carefully out as Brok escaped. Tekita and Bert flew out, and Tempo used his back paws to kick the door shut on the humans. The lock clacked back into its hook, locking the firm men inside. Tempo looked back on them and whispered, “Heh. Suckers.” Annabelle smiled up at Tempo, and tried to get up. She slipped, and fell. “Maybe you should go on without me.” Tempo whined softly, and nuzzled his head into her fur. “I’d never leave you, you have to come. I couldn’t leave you... cuz I... I guess...” he stuttered. “Yes?” spoke Annabelle patiently, carefully licking her leg. Tempo lowered his head a tiny bit. “Nevermind. Brok, Rudy, Gus, go back and find the carriage. We’re gonna need something to carry her on.” Tempo lay down beside Annabelle, with his paws over hers.

 

 

Annabelle smiled, her eyes reflecting the love she felt for him. “Somehow I knew you wouldn’t leave me behind.” She gave him a lick on his cheek. She looked up, as the sun began to set. “Beautiful sunset, huh?” she asked, leaning her head against his. Tempo stayed still, and mumbled, a tint nervously, “Yes, beautiful.” Tempo gave a small smile, as he looked her way. Tempo scooted closer. Annabelle blinked once slowly, looking down at his paw, covering hers, just as the bumping and rickety noise of the carriage sounded behind them. Gus neighed, snorting. He tossed his head up high and pranced in place. Rudy giggled. “Annabelle and Tempo, sittin’ in a tree, KISSI...”

 

 

Annabelle growled. “Shut up.” She jumped into the seat beside Rudy, and Tempo landed on her other side. Brok was injured, so he rested in the back of the carriage.

 

 

The moon began to rise in the sky once more, and the two birds, one cub, and one younger horse fell asleep. Only Gus, Tempo and Annabelle were awake now. Annabelle glanced over at Tempo. “Um, Tempo, I need to tell you something.” Tempo nodded back to her in response. Annabelle sighed, and said, “I think, I think I might just like you more than a friend.”

 

 

Tempo chuckled. “That was exactly what I was thinking.”

 

 

“Really?”

 

 

“Really, Ann.”

 

 

 

 

Chapter 6: I’ll Be There For You

 

 

 

 

Annabelle smiled as they both closed their eyes, then she opened one eye, to rest her head on Tempo’s back, falling into a deep sleep.

 

 

When they all woke, the carriage was shaking. Tekita began to squawk, and Bert snored on. Brok began thrashing at the carriage walls, spooked. Gus reared up high, sending Brok flying against the back of the carriage. Annabelle yelled, “Whoah! Gus, buddy, settle down, what’s up?” But before Gus could answer, Annabelle realized what was wrong. A crack in the moist ground was racing towards them. “EARTHQUAKE!” screamed Tempo, waking Bert. Annabelle was shaking, and the same time giving a determined snarl. “Come on, Gus!” she said. “Calm down we’ll get out of this! On my cue...”

 

 

“Left! Straight!”

 

 

“Left, Straight!”

 

 

“Right, left!”

 

 

Gus neighed out piercingly, as he took a wrong turn. The carriage, as if in slow motion, shot toward the ground, sending its passengers everywhere. Gus managed to land on a ledge, and on another landed Annabelle. Just as Tempo was about to fall down, she caught him and pulled him up. Gus reached down with his teeth, trying to catch Brok. Beads of sweat formed on his forhead, as he reached for his son. Almost there...

 

 

“BROK! NOOOOOOOOO!” yelled Gus. Annabelle leaned against Tempo’s shoulder, and sniffled. Tempo buried his soft fur into hers, then he took a large leap back up to the top of the cliff. Helping Annabelle up, Annabelle and him both pulled Gus up, who was biting back tears of his own. Tempo turned back to the cliff, and took a look. Brok’s lifeless body was laying limp across a rock in the river, and was swept away, leaving a slightly bloody mark on the rock. Tempo closed his eyes. “We have to keep going.” With a sigh, he got up into the carriage.

 

 

Annabelle looked up. “Oh no. We might be too late! Ok, we’re almost to North America, all we have to do is hurry.”

 

 

Tempo nodded. “Yeah.” He said, silently crying for his friend. Rudy buried his head against Tempo’s ankle, whining, “Tempo, it’ll all be ok. We gotta move on... Papa...” Tempo looked down at Rudy, and gave him a friendly nuzzle, a tear dripping onto his new

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