Unicorn Riders - Pinch (English)

Chapter 12: Inside the hideout

This time they didn't have far to go. Vera wasn't surprised about that. From what she had learned already about the children she knew that Taylor had been sent out to gather food. Vanna and Thor had been on lookout near the lair, just in case Taylor would bring trouble back home. Their real lair was far enough away to not be stumbled upon by any villain, but not so far away that it would take the children a very long walk.

As a matter of fact the way turned out of the forests and towards the mountains, but it ended all of a sudden. Behind several bushes, having grown all naturally this way, Vanna and Thor pushed a big metal sheet out of the way and uncovered an opening in the rock. A cave, hardly big enough for the children, and it led inside the mountain.Taylor couldn't wait and already crawled inside before anyone else could say anything to it. Vera glanced at the dark hole in the rock, hesitating until Vanna gave her a little attentive push.

"You'll have to take off your bag, otherwise you won't fit in there" she pointed out the obvious. Vera nodded, took her backpack off and pushed it into the whole before crwaling in right behind it. It was kind of adventurous to do so, and although she had never felt something like claustrophobia, she did feel tightened by her surroundings in an uncomfortable way. Ahead of her she could see a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel - it wasn't as long as she had feared. Taylor seemed to have gotten through already since Vera could hear some excited voices of which she hadn't heard one before.

And then she was through. The tunnel ended in a big spacy cave that left enough headroom for all the children to stand up straight. Several of those light spheres Taylor had already used were brightening up the place, shining on sleeping bags, improvised furniture and several decorating objects the children had put up. In the middle of the cave there was some sort of table built up, with improvised foot stools and cushions spreaded around it. Towards the cave walls the children had put up their sleep area out of sleeping bags and blankets. One corner of the cave  had some cavity in the wall that was used as a shelf - Vera could see the last remains of their food supply, consisting of empty cans and other containers.

Her observations were apruptly interrupted by a medium sized shaggy shadow jumping her with a bark and nearly pushing her over. She was stunned to no end. It was the dog she had seen before! It seemed to recognize her, too, happily waggling its tail while its tongue tried to connect with her face. "Butter! Heel!" came a sharp order from Vanna who had climbed into the tunnel shortly after Vera. The dog obeyed at once and went over to Vanna, but its tail kept waggling and it continued to look at Vera over and over again.

"He's usually not like that towards strangers" Vanna stated confused. "Is it possible that you have met before?"

Vera nodded. "It is possible, yes. It did root me up shortly after I crashed here."

"Crashed?" Taylor had reappeared from one of the corners of the cave, accompanied by a little girl. The face, the light fair hair and the size of her were almost identical to Taylor's. But in contrast to Taylor's bright, enterprising expression the girl seemed to be awfully shy. Had the boy allowed her to do so she would probably have hidden behind him. That ought to be this Jenny Taylor had mentioned before.

Also Thor had finally arrived in the cave. "What's that talk about having crashed?"

Vera looked around in the cave. "It's a long story" she then said abrasively. "And you haven't told me yours yet."

"We don't want to" Thor stated with his arms crossed before his chest. A pathetic attempt at appearing strong and intimidating for Vera - an attempt that in her opinion he shouldn't have bothered with in the first place.

"I have brought you something to eat" she strictly reminded him. "And you have attacked me. It's about time..."

"Excuse me!" Taylor interrupted her. "But could you give Jenny something, too?"