DuckTales One-Shots!

I couldn't tell you...

Huey woke up early in the morning. He climbed down from his bed and ran out to the couch. Donald was fast asleep on it.

"Uncle Donald, today's the day!" Huey shouted. "Wake up, we've gotta go!"

Donald jumped, and gave him a stern look.

"You don't shout to wake me up, I told you this," Donald said.

"Sorry. I'm just so excited for the camping trip today."

"That's today?"

"Yeah-huh! We get to go camping with all my Junior Woodchuck friends!"

"Oh, about that...I don't think I can take you. There are terrible creatures in the woods up on Mt. Taliaferro. I'm worried something's going to happen."

"Don't worry, we'll be safe. Our scoutmasters said so."

"Okay, then. If you say so."

Donald drove the triplets up to the camp site, where the other Woodchucks would be. When they got down, he noticed something.

Louie had his face covered by his hood, and he kept his hands in his pocket.

"Louie, is something wrong?" he asked.

Louie ignored the question, and instead curled up into a ball by a tree.

"Llewellyn Duck, answer me," he said.

"Leave him alone," Dewey said. "He's kind of sad."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I woke up in the middle of the night, and I heard him crying."

"Louie, please tell me what's wrong."

There was no response. Donald decided to ignore him for the time being and help set up the tent that Huey was struggling with.

When the tent was pitched and a fire was going, Donald walked to Louie's spot by the tree. However, when he was close enough to almost touch him, Louie ran off into a berry bush. Donald followed him, and found him with a hand out of his pocket covering his mouth.

"Louie, you need to tell me what's wrong. Are you feeling sick?"

Louie nodded. He removed the hood, and Donald saw that his face was rosy-red from fever.

"I didn't want to tell you because I knew Huey wanted to come here," he said, crying. "I knew you had to take all of us or none of us, and I didn't want Huey to be sad."

He started coughing and retching. Donald held him on his lap and ran his fingers through Louie's hair.

"I understand, Lou, but that's no reason to hide this. You need to tell me if you feel sick. You could get everyone else here sick. Now, I'm going to take you home, okay?"

"What about Huey?"

"He'll stay here. One of the other parents will take care of him and Dewey for me."

"Louie's sick?" Huey asked.

"Yes, but don't worry," Donald said. "You and Dewey will stay here with Mrs. Windham. When she comes over, I'll go."

"But, we were going to toast marshmallows."

"I know, but Louie's feeling terrible, and he's especially nauseous right now. I don't want him getting the other kids sick."

"Okay."

Huey hugged Louie, who was sitting in Donald's lap while he kept his arms wrapped around his stomach.

"I hope you feel better," he said to Louie. "I'm so sorry you're sick and have to miss out on this."

"I'll be okay. I think."

Dolores Windham walked out of the brush and waved to the boys. Donald carried Louie out to their car, and drove back to the houseboat.