Yes, we did know that crocodile!
It was the very same crocodile that we had run into so many months ago!
I slowly shuffled closer to get a better look, but I should not have. I accidentally kicked a pebble, he glanced over at me, and immediately bolted out of the market.
I searched the crowd for Happy and Rainy. I had long lost sight of them when I was buying some 10 gem lemonade (which tasted a bit funny, now that I think of it), and I had to navigate through quickly enough to keep up with Rainy shifting between each shop. That crocodile could really move fast, especially when 10 gem food was involved.
My unsteady trail through the crowd was just a repetitive "Excuse me! Pardon me! Sorry!" until finally, I spotted Rainy and Happy sitting at the far back eating peanuts.
"Happy! Rainy! You'll never even guess what just happened!"
"You saw that very same orange crocodile that we had run into so many months ago?" The pink elephant replied coolly, all attention on the bag of peanuts.
"How did you know?" I asked.
Rainy piped in "We saw him too. Right around the lemonade stand. He cut in line... ugh." he rolled his eyes irritably.
"But don't you remember him?"
"Of course we do, we just thought that he wouldn't be much of a threat now. He was just minding his own business––"
"Cutting in line..." Rainy interrupted.
I sat down next to my friends and took a hand full of peanuts. Maybe this whole sighting didn't matter at all, and we'd never see the orange crocodile again.
Rainy stood up. "I think it's time to leave. The shops are beginning to close up."
I stood up with him. "C'mon, Happy."
"Okay!" Happy said with a mouth full of peanuts.
We started up the path to our den on the hill. Hummingbirds stopped at flowers to stick their beaks in to drink the nectar. It was peaceful, until we heard an unexpected voice from behind.
"Rainbow!"
TO BE CONTINUED
