A Jagged Adventure

CHAPTER TWELVE

Kamura Village was bathed in sunlight. Cohoots hooted cheerfully from the rooftops as Beanie, Red and Shark limped back into the village, drenched in mud and melting snow. Everyone stopped and stared as they quietly made their way to Beanie and Red's house. Ignoring the shocked gasps and suspicious whispers, Beanie and Red entered, followed by a very nervous Shark.

Red and Shark plopped down on the blankets and pillows and began grooming themselves. Beanie grabbed a wash rag and began preparing a tub of soapy water for them to bathe in.

They sat in silence for the longest time. Red growling every so often, Shark flinching as he pulled half-melted ice shards from his sensitive paw pads. Beanie finished with the tub and sat, staring at the swirling soapy water within. She noticed her disheveled reflection hidden among the bubbles and frowned at it.

There was a hasty knock on their door, and all three turned to look. Nobody answered it. They didn't want company. Beanie could tell it was a Palico from the size and sound, but before she could tell the others that it wasn't Elder Fugen, the door burst open and Sky flung himself in, slamming the door behind him and diving under the blankets between Red and Shark.

"DON'T LET THEM INSIDE!" Sky cried out; his voice muffled by a pillow. "I DIDN'T MEAN IT!"

Beanie pricked her ears as a new sound came from the outside world. She could hear the angry caterwauls and hisses of a few Felyne females as they ran past, unaware of their victim's hiding place. Shark rolled his eyes.

"Are they gone?" Sky popped his head up as the noises faded, and for the first time managed to get a good look at Shark's appearance. "What the... What happened to you Shark? Red?! BEANIE?! WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!?! You all smell horrible!"

Red leapt from where he sat and landed with an enormous splash in the tub, soaking Beanie from head to toe. She leapt back, hissing with outrage. Red looked at her apologetically and proceeded to grab her and pull her in with him. Beanie yowled as she entered the water and stood shivering for a moment. She then sighed in acceptance and slouched up against his wet black and tan legs. Red began grooming her with his tongue, and she scrunched up her eyes in disgust.

"It's a long story." Shark said simply, lifting a leg to get at a tangled mess of fur located on his belly.

"Well, I got nowhere to be," Sky made an exaggerated effort to get more comfortable. "What's going on?"

Red and Beanie looked at one another. Shark sighed and gave up on the idea of grooming himself for the time being.

"I took the new Hunters to the Frost Islands to test their skills." Shark began. Sky leaned forward; his eyes wide with anticipation. "It went well, until Red decided to run off. We found him in a cave, where he was facing off against three large monsters: A Lagombi, a Great Baggi and an Aknosom."

"No way! Three monsters?" Sky was in disbelief as he turned to look at Red. "How are you still alive? What happened next?"

"Red was stricken with panic and was unable to move; but before they could attack, he came to his senses and bolted. In his haste to rescue Beanie, Red and I collided head on, and when I came to, they were gone, and I was left with the monsters." Red and Beanie glanced at one other, confused. "The monsters would have killed me, but I was patient. I waited for the right time and fled the caverns when their backs were turned."

Red and Beanie cocked the heads to the side in unison. They were very confused, as that was clearly not what had happened. Sky gasped, paws over his mouth in horror.

"You forgot about the part where the Kirin comes galloping in and offers to carry our sorry, exhausted pelts home." Red said sarcastically. "Of course, we accepted its kind offer. Want to meet it?"