A Yoshi's Stolen Heart

Chapter 2: Sun-Baked Sands

After a few minutes of walking, Tiny, Yosher, and Barry came upon Starry Sand Outpost. There were a few tents set up, and a shop where they could stock up on supplies.

"Welcome, travelers," said the Toad running the shop. He wore a green litham, making it hard to see his face, but the cheerful tone let the three know he was friendly.

"What do you have to sell?" asked Yosher.

"We have Dried Shrooms, Dried Pasta, and Dusty Hammers," explained the Toad, pointing to the goods lined up behind him.

"Is everything you have dry?" asked a cynical Tiny.

"Of course. Dry is our specialty," responded the Toad. Yosher didn't find the offerings too appetizing, but they weren't very expensive so he handed the shopkeeper a couple of coins for some Dried Shroom and Pasta.

He and his friends left the shop munching on their snacks, but as expected, they were far from tasty. Yosher's Dried Shroom was chewy and bland tasting, while Tiny's Pasta was crunchy and difficult to swallow.

"Do you want any, Barry?" offered the Spiny, mostly as an excuse not to finish it. The Bomb Boo kindly declined the offer, as ghosts don't exactly require sustenance to survive. Yosher and Barry reluctantly finished their snacks and prepared to hunt for Nabbit, but were stopped by a Toad in a pink litham at the camp's edge.

"Oh, if you guys are going out, be sure to stop by the oasis if you get tired. The water there is cool and refreshing, perfect for a hot desert day!" she told them.

"Thank you, miss!" replied Yosher, watching the Toad wave as he and his friends set off into the desert.

Hardly any time passed at all before Yosher and Tiny were exhausted.

"It sure is hot out here..." muttered Yosher, tongue hanging out as he panted.

"Yeah... I feel like I'm melting in this heat..." responded Tiny, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"I don't see what the big deal is. I feel fine," added Barry, innocently oblivious to his friends' suffering. The three walked for a few more moments before Tiny collapsed onto the sand.

"Wake me up when I'm not here anymore..." he said, ready to give up.

"Aww, don't give up yet, Tiny, we're almost at the oasis!" responded Yosher, tugging on his small friend's arm to motivate him. When Tiny didn't get up, Yosher picked the tired Spiny up and slung him over his shoulder.

"Thanks, Yosher," he muttered, smiling at the Yoshi with gratitude. Yosher then took Tiny over to the oasis where they could rest.

"Gosh, the water sure is pretty," noted Barry, as he hovered over the surface and stared at his reflection. Yosher and Tiny had a much less refined reaction to the glistening pool of water, dipping their heads in and slurping it right up. After a refreshing drink, Yosher looked up at the trees and saw some pleasant-looking yellow fruits hanging off of them. The orange Yoshi stuck his tongue out to grab one, bracing himself in case it was anything like the one in the spooky forest, but to his surprise, it wasn't.

"Mmm... It's sour and tangy, but tasty!" he exclaimed, grabbing a lime and handing it to Tiny. The two enjoyed their treats while Barry floated around looking for anything of interest.

"This stuff is nice and all, but how are we gonna find your special gem? That rabbit could be holed up anywhere!" the Spiny pointed out. Yosher thought for a moment but came to the same conclusion. Luckily for them, Barry's sleuthing had paid off.

"Hey, what's this? It looks kind of like a rabbit," he said, giving a curious look at the side of one of the oasis' palm trees. Yosher and Tiny shuffled over to take a look, and what they found was a carving made in striking resemblance to the purple thief that they were searching for.