Gatherers: The RP

Gray Stream gathered up Young Pine and Little Leaf with a sweep of her fluffy tail. "Now, now," she warned. "You can now go off on your own, I suppose..."

"On my own? Already? Ya really think I can do that?" Young Pine asked Gray Stream excitedly.

Herb Branch laughed. "You are old enough." he noted.

"Great!" Little Leaf squealed. My mother is probably so happy for me right now!

Young Pine excitedly ran off, avoiding the creek like his mother told him to, and ran back and forth through a log over and over again, sticking his little head out of all the holes inside. He dashed through piles of leaves and swatted at them as they scattered. It was the most fun Young Pine had ever had! Eventually, he was ready to return to his mother and tell her about all that had happened. "She said to meet her by the big rock near our tree... where is our tree exactly? It's.. uh.. probably this way!" Young Pine said, darting away, looking for his familiar home.

Gray Stream sighed. She was a bit worried, because she wasn't exactly sure if they'd get in any trouble.

(I meant to type, "Now DON'T go off on your own...", but I guess it's fine now xD)

"You think they'll be okay?" Herb Branch asked.

Gray Stream sighed. "Hopefully..."

Herb Branch gave a small nod.

Gray Stream glanced at Herb Branch. "So, how has work been going?" She was too worried about the two squirrelings who had run off; she was eager to change the subject.

"It's all right," Herb Branch glanced over at his den. "Maybe one of the squirrelings could become the medicine-learner. I could use some help."

By this time, Young Pine had become quite worried of the sun setting and the night's predators arriving. His mother had told him terrible tales of how other squirrels had bravely tried to stop them, only to never return. How could he, at such a young age, stand a chance? He HAD to arrive home soon, he just HAD to!

"Okay, I think I recognise this place..." Little Leaf muttered as she scampered across the never-ending forest terrain. "Maybe home is nearby."

Young Pine stopped to think. Maybe he could try to find his tree's scent? He stopped moving to smell the air, but continued to hear the sound of leaves crunching. Whatever was moving nearby was heavy. And "heavy" didn't equal "safe" in this forest.

"Okay, going off when you have no idea of the forest: bad idea." Little Leaf said to herself as she kept running.

Young Pine turned his head in the direction of the loud footsteps. His head told him to run as fast as he could, yet his feet stayed planted to the ground in fear.

Mrs. Dipper Pines wrote:"It's all right," Herb Branch glanced over at his den. "Maybe one of the kits could become the medicine-learner. I could use some help."

"That's a wonderful idea!" Gray Stream exclaimed. "They are both quite talented....I guess I shouldn't be worried about them, right?"

Suddenly, Young Pine burst through the bushes, scattering towards Little Leaf's direction, barely avoiding the jaws of a menacing badger.

Little Leaf heard something--no, two things nearby. She looked around frantically, for a tree or hole she could hide in.

"EEEEEP!" Young Pine dashed by Little Leaf without noticing, desperately looking for a safe place. The badger followed close behind.

Little Leaf noticed the badger, and Young Pine who was being chased by it. She scurried up the nearest tree. "Young Pine, up here! Hurry!"

"Eep! Young Pine dashed up the tree with Little Leaf and took a few deep breaths, with the badger growling at the bottom of the tree.

"Wow..." he gasped. "The world's a lot bigger than I thought it would be. I... I never even saw the edge of it!" Strangely, he seemed more amazed than scared.

"Yeah," Little Leaf said. "I don't even know how far we've gone in this forest."

"My mother tried to teach me how to track once... but I don't remember much of it." Young Pine sheepishly said.

"Do you recognize anything from here? All I see are lots and lots of trees."

"Um.. okay... Well, I remember we came from that way," Little Leaf pointed with a small paw. "So, let's go that way." She quickly scrambled down the tree.