The Adventures of Azalea and Twig (book 5)

Chapter 14

     They arrived back at the grove, Azalea and twig playing outside with Uueeka, while Peppy watched.

     Uueeka saw Branch coming, and looked at him confused. How had he gotten away without him noticing?

     Quickly, he ran over to Branch, picking him up again by the back of his vest.

     "Hey!" Branch shouted. He held Branch out to show Poppy, as if he had been holding him the whole time.

     "Shookia loo eena ," he said, but it was muffled with Branch in his beak.

     Poppy and Pansy laughed, as Branch crossed his arms.

     "Could you put me down, please?" he asked, angrily. Uueeka looked to Poppy for permission, and she nodded.

     He lowered Branch back down to the ground, letting go of him.

     "Dumb bird," Branch grumbled quietly, as he wiped off his vest.
"Synathin," Poppy, Pansy, Peppy, Uueeka, Twig, and Azalea all corrected.
"What ever," Branch said, rolling his eyes, as he chuckled, quietly.

     Uueeka lowered his head, nuzzling it into Branch.

     "Yeah. Yeah. I forgive you," Branch said, hugging Uueeka's head.

Suddenly, Uueeka screeched, falling to the ground immediately after.

"Uueeka!" Branch yelled, dropping down to his knees.

"Wh... what's wrong with him?" Branch asked, tears in his eyes, as Pansy ran over.

She checked him over, gasping, when she saw a tranquilizer dart stuck in his leg.

"Hunters..." she whispered.

They looked over, seeing several hunters running towards them.

"Run!" Pansy yelled.

Quickly, Branch grabbed onto Uueeka, trying to push him away from the scene, but he was too heavy.

"Branch!" Poppy yelled, noticing he wasn't following the rest of them.
"I can't leave him!" Branch cried, still trying to push him.

"Go!" Pansy yelled to Poppy. "I'll get Branch!" She ran towards Branch, beginning to help him try to move Uueeka.

"Mommy!" Azalea cried, as she hugged Poppy's leg in fear. Peppy had Twig, and was running him to safety.

"Come on, Azalea. We need to run," Poppy said, picking her up, and running away from the hunters.

"Branch!" Pansy yelled, still trying to help him push Uueeka. "Their getting closer! This isn't gonna..." her words trailed off, as she suddenly fell to the ground.

"Pansy!" Branch yelled, dropping down beside her. She had been hit with a Tranquilizer dart, and was now unconscious.

He looked back at the hunters getting closer, and then at Uueeka. If he didn't get out of there now, the hunters would get all three of them.

"I'm sorry, Uueeka," he whispered, hugging the Synathin, tears falling out of his eyes. Then he stood, picking up Pansy, before running away.