The Green Guardian

Chapter 9: A Rescue Worth Dying For

        Stumbling out of the treehouse, Mateo shut the door with his foot. A zephyr rushed through his hair, but he smacked his hand over his hat to keep it in one place. His eyes rolled over to a large tree just off his group's house. Its branches stabbed the sky like a knife. He took his rope off his belt and twirled it a few times. It moved so fast that the display was shield-like. Mateo tossed it forward. The rope's hook wrapped around one of the tree's branches. He held it with both hands and leaped from the cabin's porch.

He swung through the warm, summer air and landed on his feet at the base of the tree. Tugging his rope a few times, it came undone and fell toward him. Mateo caught it. Perhaps that was why he liked his job so much. Swinging from trees was fun.

With his rope in hand, Mateo sprinted through the village's base and toward Paperblank's gate. He met up with John on the bridge.

The Red-Crowned Crane stood in the stream. He stuck his beak in the water, with the hope he would catch an evening snack.

Mateo, who now stood on the bridge, brought his fist to his lips. He cleared his throat.

John jumped. He slipped on a rock and splashed into the water. Why was he so clumsy? He flapped his wings to help him stand.

Mateo placed his hands on his hips. "We don't have time to splash around in the pool. We need to get a move on," he frustratingly told his friend.

John blushed. "Yes, sir! Sorry, sir!" He acted out a quick salute with his foot and joined his partner.

The night grew darker by the second. In front of Mateo and John, Paperblank's tunnel seemed to stare. The wind died down.

Mateo and John started toward the gate. They were both excited and nervous about what would happen.

Mateo, though, could not get far on his injured tummy. He and his friend just made it to the tunnel when he collapsed onto his side in the tall grass around it.

John screeched to a halt. He looked over his shoulder at his partner. "What the heck, dude?" he asked. Flapping quickly, he left the tunnel and landed next to Mateo. "You seriously did not go see a doctor?" How on Earth could they succeed now?

Mateo pushed himself to his elbow and glared at the bird. "I don't need a doctor."

"Uh, yes you do, dude."

"Just shut up, John, and take me to the time traveler." Mateo did not like being bossed around by a bird. He was also too cool to admit that the risk he was taking was wrong.

John helped him to his feet. He shook his head and admitted, "I don't understand you at times, kid." He kept asking himself why the Ranger Union sent Mateo to the forest when he was clearly burnt out from all his other missions.

The bird put one wing around his partner's shoulders. He held him up with his other one. John dragged him through Paperblank's cold gate. Unlit torches were on its walls. The tunnel itself was relatively small, but there were clusters of trees at the other end of it.

John feared for his friend, but he knew he couldn't stop him. Asking him to rest was like asking a fish to quit swimming.

***

Ms. Julie took over for Mateo for the rest of the night. She, after all, was his secondary partner.

"Why can't we help Mr. Mateo?" Evie asked. She, Ms. Julie, and her group members crossed the bridge to their cabin. A few fireflies flickered by their faces.